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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

CHARLES AUGUSTE PAILLARD, OF GENEVA, SWITZERLAND.

M ETALLlC ALLOY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 367,158, dated July 26, 1887.

Application filed March 6,1886. Serial No. 194,325. (No specimens.) Patented in England May 11, 1886, No. 6,367, and in France May 11, 1886, nogiiaosa.

TaaZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES AUGUSTE PAIL LARD, of the city of Geneva, Switzerland, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Manufacture of Spiral Springs for Watches and other'lime-Pieces, (on which patents have been granted in England, No. 6,367, dated May 11, 1886, and France, No. 176,053, dated May 11, 1886,) of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. r

In spiral or hair springs for watches and other time-pieces it is very desirable to sub stitute for steel, of which they are usually composed, a. substance which is neither oxi-' dizable nor magnetic, but which shall possess.

some of the properties of steel t-hat is to say, small capabilities of dilatation, hardness, and elasticity.

My invention relates to a metallicalloy, and is composed of the metals hereinafter mentioned, or their equivalents, and is useful in the mechanic arts, and especially in the manufacture of balances, hair-springs, and the other parts of watch, clock, and chronometer mechan sms.

One objectof my invention is to produce an alloy which shall be unoxidizable and nonmagnetic.

A further object of my invention is to produce an alloy which shall possess some of the characteristics and properties of iron or steel viz., hardness, elasticity, and ductility-and at the same time be substantially, if not absolutely, non-dilatable.

Many alloys have been made and used possessin'g some of the characteristics and properties above mentioned; but, so far as I know, no alloy has heretofore been made or used possessing all of the characteristics and properties possessed by the alloy hereinafter deduce balances and springs for watches whichwill not be affected by any or all of the influen'ces above mentioned, but, so far as I know, with only partial results. The failure to produce such springs and balances has been due in part to their construction, but principally and materially to the fact that a metal or alloy had not been found or used which would not be affected by any of the influences which interfere with and disturb the regularity and uniformity of their action.

The difficulties formerly experienced in producing balances and springs for watches which would resist the disturbinginfluences to which they were subjected have latterly been greatly augmented by the invention, production, and use of magnetic and electric machines and devices, possessing in some instances great magnetic and electrical attraction and force,which necessarily affect and disturb to a greater or less extent the regularity and uniformity of the action of such springs and balances of watches as are used and carried by persons operating and using, or who come within near proximity to, such machines and devices.

All of the difiiculties mentioned, as well as those experienced by change of climate, season, locality, whether on land or sea, or either, of altitudes, the descent into mines of whatever character or depth, or from any cause or influence other than mechanical displacement or destruction, are practically, if not entirely, overcome by springs or balances properly made of the alloy invented and manufactured by me, forming the subject of this application.

My alloy is composed of palladium, copper, and iron, in about the following proportions, viz: Palladium, sixty to seventy-five parts; copper, fifteen to twenty-five parts; iron, one to five parts; but said proportions or percentages may be somewhat varied without changing or atfectin g the essential characteristics or properties of the alloy to any appreciable extent.

It is well known that palladium melts only at a very high degree of temperature, and for that reason I prefer to follow the process hereinafter described in forming this alloy, although other processes may be used.

In forming the alloy I take about one-half of thepalladium to be used and put the same,

with the other metals to be used, in a clay era cible, adding thereto a small quantity of borax and powdered charcoal, and subject the same to heat until all of said metals are melted. 1 then add the remaining one-l1a1f or part of the palladium to the molten mass, still subjecting the same to a high degree of heat until all of the palladium is melted. I then pour the entire molten mass into any suitable mold, and when it is cooled it is ready for use.

I am aware that alloys have been made wherein palladium has been used and formed a component part of the alloy, as set forth in well known publications and treatises on metals and their alloys. Such alloys, however, I do not broadly claim as my invention; but do claim, broadly, the alloy herein specified in about the proportions mentioned. manufacture of my alloy, composed of palladium, copper, and iron, I obtain a nonmagnetic and unoxidizable product which has the properties ofhardness,elasticity,and ductility,

In the I i l l l and at the same time substantially, if not absolutely, non-dilatable. All of these properties have not heretofore been obtainable in a single alloy of this class, and by the use of the metals and their stated proportions, as set forth herein, an alloy is formed which possesses all of the named properties, and which is useful in the mechanical arts.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 13-- 1. An alloy composed of palladium, copper, and iron in about the proportions specified.

2. An alloy composed of palladium, sixty to seventy-five parts; copper, fifteen to twentyfive parts, and iron, one to five parts, substantially as described.

CHARLES AlfGlfS'lll lllllilhlllll.

Witnesses:

(Jr-mums WrLLIs WARD, \VILHELMINA Srnuss. 

